Kathy MacDonald, the wife of well-known and long-time Flagler Beach police officer Robert “Bobby” MacDonald, was airlifted to Halifax Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head Friday evening under suspicious circumstances that the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

“I don’t think we have honest proof at this point that he shot her or that she shot herself,” Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming said, referring to Bobby MacDonald. She has been in and out of a coma since, Fleming said, either unable or unwilling to give a statement. “We just don’t know what we have at this time,” the sheriff said.

Reports are sketchy, even from the sheriff, who did not have the details of the actual shooting. Rumors of the shooting began spreading over the weekend, with suggestions that it was being kept quiet because of the circumstances, and the involvement of a Flagler Beach cop. Fleming said there was no attempt to keep anything under wraps, only that an investigation was continuing.

“We’re not able to get too much information at this time,” Fleming said. “We’re working the case with the State Attorney’s office.”

Bobby MacDonald is not in custody, Fleming said. He couldn’t say what his work status is with his department. “That’s up to Flagler Beach. We didn’t charge him with anything.”

Dan Cody, the Flagler Beach police chief, could not be reached Sunday and Frank Parrish, his second in command, had not returned a call and a message left on his cell phone by the time this story posted. Bruce Campbell, the Flagler Beach city manager, was non-committal. Nor would he mention the name of the officer. “I know there’s been an incident, and it’s under investigation by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. That’s all I know and can say at this point,” Campbell said. “There’s been an incident. One of our officers is somehow involved. I don’t know how. It’s under investigation.”

Pressed for details, Campbell said: “You’ll have to read the investigation.” He dismissed a rumor about Bobby MacDonald having gone missing. “The officer is not missing,” he said.

Campbell noted, however, that all Flagler Beach city commissioners had been informed of the incident. Authorities, in other words, from the sheriff’s office, the Flagler Beach city administration, its police department and the state attorney’s office were all well aware of the shooting, but no information had been released publicly. In contrast, the sheriff’s office published three news releases this weekend about the convenience store robber, who was finally caught Sunday evening, immediately after his third robbery. (The sheriff’s office did not send out an official press release about the shooting until Monday at 12:30 p.m., almost three days after the shooting.)

Bobby MacDonald, a Vietnam veteran (he reportedly served in the 101st Airborne Division), 58, was hired on June 15, 2000. He makes $37,575. He is one of 13 uniformed officers in the Flagler Beach Police Department, Chief Dan Cody included. He’s worked at Bunnell’s Ace Hardware store as well. The couple married within the year and vacationed in Tennessee. They live in the area of the Mondex. Kathy MacDonald was airlifted from the northeast edge of the Mondex, or Daytona North.

“She was pretty much under the influence of alcohol I believe,” Fleming said. “He came home, he found her like that.” Bobby MacDonald told police that he’d gotten off work at 6 p.m. and returned home to find his wife on the ground with the gunshot wound to the side of the head. He then placed his wife in a car and drove her to the intersection of County Road 302 and County Road 305. Fleming said the weapon used may have been a Derringer, but that was not confirmed.

Kathy MacDonald, who’s in her mid-40s, has for the past year worked at Oceanside Beach Bar and Grill in Flagler Beach (the restaurant that used to be the old Manny’s on State Road A1A). Co-owner John Lulgjuraj had, like others, heard the rumors of the incident, but only sketchily. He described her as a good worker he and his family had known for a long time, as they had Bobby.

So what they are saying is a law enforcement veteran removed his wife from the scene with a gun shot wound to the head (which gun shot wound to the head would make me believe it is life threatening, therefore you shouldn’t disturb her). The fact that FireFlight flew her, means she was at the very least a trauma case. They are unsure if she shot herself, which shouldn’t they test for gun powder residue on her fingers or clothes, as well as residue on his fingers. Since it involves a police officer, shouldn’t FDLE be involved in this? Even if nothing is being hidden, this seems very sketchy.

She was pretty much under the influence of alcohol…I believe??!! Thats a pretty unprofessional statement!! How long does it take to get a blood alcohol reading? Why would the husband move her body?? I know she was airlifted, but it makes it pretty hard to investigate when her body was moved and all evidence disturbed.

“Fleming said the weapon used may have been a Derringer, but that was not confirmed.”

I love that line. All my best to her speedy and full recovery. I’m assuming she was driven to the intersection so the helicopter could actually land and pick her up. But. Why wasn’t that handled by the police (not her husband) or why wasn’t she taken by ambulance to the intersection?

First of all, he shouldn’t have moved her. I am sure that he learned that in the academy. It doesn’t matter how long it would take. Was he not thinking that it would look suspicious? Now he has contaminated the scene. Him being a cop knows what the officers are going to be looking. for and how do we know that he drove her to the intersection as soon as he got home? There are a lot of holes in this story. Let’s just hope that Kathy pulls out of this coma and can tell the cops what exactly happened to her.

I met Officer McDonald a few times in the six years since I moved here to Mayberry by the Sea. Some personally. A few times professionally. He struck me as one of the last of the old time professional law enforcement officers. I witnessed him use his own best judgement a few times to do the right thing whereas a less experienced officer might not dare to put his ass on the line for a mere local citizen. After all there was no upside jobwise, but definite negative possibilities careerwise.

Maybe it was because it was the way Police did things back when he was trained by the real old guys who he respected. Maybe because he had enough time under his belt he didn’t worry about taking shit from his bosses. Maybe it was because he just thought it was the right thing to do. Just about all of the people I know think he is one of the Good Ones. However, if you’re an asshole, bully or idiot, well lets just say the ledger somehow seemed to get balanced.

I recently met his wife. She seemed like a lively and outgoing person with an engaging personality. She told a friend and I a hilarious story about malfunctioning plumbing that occurred at their cabin in Tennessee recently. I couldn’t wait to see Bob to see if it was as funny as she made it out to be. At least from her side, it seemed funny as hell.

My point is, I’m far from good friends to this couple. I know them casually like we all know people who cross through our lives and make us a community, that makes it a life worth living. None of us know what really happened, and it really is none of our business what did. There are no winners involved in this story. Lets all wish these good people the best, give them the support we can, and stay out of their business otherwise.

I believe this is why a lot of things are not put in the newspaper as fast as most people would like to see it there, because people are so quick to jump to their own conclusions , just let them do their investigation and then pick the story apart, My prayers go out for all involved .

I have now Bob since he was with City of Bunnell Years ago. I saw him a little bit back and found he had remarried he was very happy. Don’t see him harming her in anyway. For those questioning him taking her to the intersection have you ever waited for an ambulance out in that area. Most people that live out there would have done the same thing for the same reason by time an ambulance gets there and gets her to the landing he could have had her there. Not that it is anyone’s fault that it takes time but the call has to be dispatched then they have to get people out of the way to get to her. My prayers are with this couple for a full recovery.

has every one gone mad the guy is a wierdo he completly cleaned up the whole scene then he drove her to the intersection im mean really you do learn that in cop 101 dont ever ever touch the scene of a crime ecspecially a shooting she never hurt anybody and is a good hearted person the truth will prevail

As a veteran and a trained professional he must have had a very good reason to move his injured wife into his car and get her help. If not, only then should they look for anything fishy. Speedy recovery Kathy.

Gerald is right. Additionally, some people do their job out of love for the job; being a police officer to be able to serve and protect the public may be a higher calling to him than being a directory assistance operator was to ‘the voice of reason’.

I have known Kathy since she worked for Marco’s Pizza, when in operation. I knew her to be a lovely mother, who cared for her children very much. I can’t believe that she would commit suicide, when she went through many bad times, and never thought of killing herself. The wind is blowing the wrong way in Bunnell again. I hope she comes out of her coma, and has a explanation of this for everyone involved. My best to her. S. Houston, Bunnell

fdle was in my place of work requesting camera footage from that evening. there was a specific vehicle driving in a specific direction on 305 they were looking for. the detective said they had several other business cameras with the vehicle in question passing by at the time he suggested. he did not say what car or who. just thought id let everyone know there may be more to this story after all.

I’ve know Bob Macdonald since i was a kid and when he first came on with the FBPD. The man has always had updstanding morals and acted with a fair, firm, and impartial attitude when it came to enforcing the law. Because of his decision, interactions, and constant advice that he mentored myself and others with, i was able to excel and even joined the armed forces. As a veteran now, and former medic, I can relate to the policy and procedures that are out there, but when you encounter extreme situations, and are under extreme pressure that involves a loved one it is tough. In that moment all you want to do is save there life as quickly as possilbe any way you know how, and if he had access to get a life flight helicopter out the scene quicker, as opposed to an ambulance, then why not try to do both. I’m sure that the truth will prevail at some point and there is more to the story, but at this stage the community should be uniting and saying prayers for both sides of the family and wait for the investigation to be completed instead of pointing fingers.

Just wanted Thoughts and Prayers to be Sent out to Both Kathy and Ofc.McDonald !!!!Second I would Question Anonymous Statement About Moving Kathy??? Dont know where You went to School But its Obvuious You Did NOT go to the police Acadamy, Because the Crime Scene is NOT a Homicide, and if Saving a Life means Moving Someone, You have an obligation to Do So, Unless its Going to create Death or great bodily Harm to the said person.Ive Known Both Ofc. McDonald and Kathy for Years. Bob is a Good Officer and Kathy is a Good Waitress! Wish You BOTH WELL, GOD BLESS!!!!!!!